Identifier

UA 37

Dates

1910-2007

Extent

11.49 linear feet (18 boxes)

Abstract

The South Dakota State University Students’ Association Records document the development and activities of the university’s student governing body from the early twentieth century through the early twenty-first century. The collection includes administrative files, constitutions and by-laws, minutes, reports, financial records, committee files, and subject files that reflect student participation in governance, policy formation, and campus life. Early materials relate to the Board of Control, which oversaw student activities, funding, and student enterprises, while later records document the transition to a Student Senate model and the expansion of advocacy, services, and shared governance.

These records provide insight into the evolving role of student government in higher education, including the allocation of student activity fees, administration of student services, and engagement with university administration, the South Dakota Board of Regents, and state and national organizations. The collection is a significant resource for studying student life, institutional decision-making, and student involvement in academic, social, and political issues at South Dakota State University.

Historical Note

The Students’ Association at South Dakota State University was established in the early twentieth century as the official representative body of the student population. In its earliest form, student governance was carried out through a Board of Control, elected annually by students and advised by the Dean of Men and Dean of Women. The Board oversaw student activities, addressed campus issues, allocated student funds, regulated student councils, and managed student enterprises, including the student-owned bookstore.

Over time, the organization evolved in structure and scope, reflecting changes in student life and higher education governance. By the mid- to late twentieth century, the Students’ Association transitioned to a Student Senate model, expanding its role in advocacy, policy development, and shared governance. The Association increasingly served as a formal channel between students, university administration, the South Dakota Board of Regents, and state and national higher education organizations.

By the late twentieth century, the Students’ Association had assumed responsibility for administering student services and overseeing the allocation of student activity fees, while continuing to sponsor programs and initiatives aimed at improving the quality of student life. Today, the South Dakota State University Students’ Association functions as the university’s official student government, representing student interests, supporting student organizations and services, and participating in institutional decision-making.

Content Notes

The Students’ Association Records document the administration, governance, finances, and policy activities of a student governing organization over much of the twentieth century, with particularly dense coverage from the 1970s through the 1990s. The materials include constitutions and by-laws spanning multiple decades, annual and final reports, handbooks, resolutions, election files, newsletters, and clippings that trace the evolution of student governance structures and priorities. Administrative files reflect a wide range of student concerns and services, including housing, health services, legal aid, alcohol policy, multiculturalism, student organizations, campus safety, and quality of student life.

Agendas and minutes record deliberations and decision-making processes, while Board of Control minutes, beginning as early as 1910, provide long-term continuity in oversight and institutional governance. Associated committee records document student participation in advisory and administrative bodies related to academics, student activities, athletics, food services, media, and campus-community relations. Financial records detail budgeting processes, activity fees, allocations, audits, and fiscal policy, illustrating how student funds were managed and contested over time. Subject files further contextualize these records within broader state, regional, and national higher education issues, including tuition, financial aid, legislative advocacy, student rights, and inter-university relations.

These records offer a comprehensive view of student governance as an evolving institution within the university, revealing how students organized, represented themselves, and negotiated authority with university administrators and external bodies. They are significant for understanding changes in student life, campus culture, and higher education policy across much of the twentieth century. Researchers will find particular value in the long chronological span of constitutions and minutes, the detailed financial documentation of student fees and budgets, and the subject files that situate local student concerns within statewide and national movements in higher education and student activism.

SDSU Archives and Special Collections

This document is a descriptive inventory of the collection in the SDSU Archives and Special Collections. It contains:

  • An overview of the collection, including information about the person or organization and a brief description of the materials and subjects found within.
  • A detailed inventory listing, organized by boxes and folders.
  • Information on how to access the materials, including any restrictions or special conditions.

In most cases, the materials in the collections have not been digitized and are not available online. If you would like to know more about the contents of the collection, please contact the SDSU Archives at:

Language

English

Publisher

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Rights

In Copyright: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, publicity, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.

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